Gregory Gerbrandt, baritone, has thrilled audiences all over America with his Figaro in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” He is no stranger to The Greeley Chorale, singing in a number of concerts over the years, most recently as the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Chorale. During the past year, Gerbrandt has performed Silvio in Pagliacci, with Opera Fort Collins; The Revival Worker in Nashville Opera’s world premiere of Elmer Gantry, Marcello in La bohème with Ash Lawn Opera in Virginia; and in concert singing Haydn’s Paukenmesse with the Nebraska Choral Arts Society, and Composers & the Voice with American Opera Projects in NYC.
Artists at Encompass Arts
Ukrainian bass Andrey Valiguras was studying voice at Odessa State Musical Academy in Ukraine and Freiburg Musical Academy in Germany. From the last institution he graduated with an honor diploma “summa cum laude”.
Mr. Giovanni Guagliardo is quickly establishing himself as an important young baritone to watch. Upcoming engagements for Mr.Guagliardo include: Lescaut in Palermo, Sulpice in Rome at the Teatro dell’ Opera, Schaunard in Torre del Lago, Bacocco in Il Giocatore, Belcore in Catania, Marcello in Wichita, Kansas, and Yamadori at La Scala.
The versatile American singer Laura Pedersen brings to opera houses and to concert halls, an exciting lyric soprano voice, beauty and a rare ability to make each role come alive on stage. In the 2008 season, Ms.
Michael Ehrman has staged opera productions for companies including Houston Grand Opera, Greater Miami Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Atlanta Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Recent productions include Vanessa for Central City Opera, Noye’s Fludde for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Sound of Music and The Barber of Seville for Tulsa Opera, The Crucible and Romeo et Juliette for Indianapolis Opera, and The Tales of Hoffmann for Connecticut Opera, He directed Street Scene for Minnesota Opera, The Ballad of Baby Doe for Utah Opera and Indianapolis Opera, Carmen for Virginia Opera, and The Magic Flute for Wolf Trap.
Internationally acclaimed tenor, Jesus Garcia, has quickly become one of opera’s most sought-after young rising stars. His dynamic stage presence and soaring vocalism make him ideal for the romantic roles of the Italian and French repertoire.
Mr. Garcia is the recipient of numerous awards including a 2003 Tony Award Honor for his work as Rodolfo in Baz Luhrmann’s production of Puccini’s La Boheme on Broadway. He has also been a winner in numerous competions including Placido Domingo’s Operalia, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, those of the George London, the Licia Albanese, and the Marquerite McCammon International Vocal Competitions, and the Dallas Opera Guild Career Development Grant.
Ms. Vroman starred for several years on Broadway as Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera. As Christine, she garnered Theatre Critic’s awards for the role in a record breaking run in San Francisco, and did a return engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Recently, Ms. Vroman starred as Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella, making her New York City Opera debut with Paul Sorvino in the title role. Her Broadway debut was in Aspects of Love, and she is the first to play both Fantine and Cosette in Les Miserables. For PBS she was featured with Colm Wilkinson and Michael Ball in Cameron Mackintosh’s Hey, Mr. Producer! at the Lyceum Theatre in London, a Royal Gala attended by Queen Elizabeth, and sang the role of Johanna in the San Francisco Symphony’s Emmy award winnng Sweeney Todd in Concert, with Patti Lupone and George Hearn.
This season tenor Joel Andrew Weiss sings Ernesto in Don Pasquale at the Festival Cultural Mazatlan in Mexico, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Salt Marsh Opera in Rhode Island, and his first Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Eugene Opera in Oregon.
Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself. That popular sentiment occurred to Anthony Laciura as he heard an announcer introduce him as the host for a recent Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera broadcast. The facts, for the moment, startled him:
860 performances of some 59 roles! “I did all that?” he thought to himself. For the past twenty-five consecutive seasons, yes, he did all that. Of course there was more debuts elsewhere: Geneva, Amsterdam, Montreal, Mexico City, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and many summer seasons at Santa Fe.
Hailed as an extraordinarily versatile artist, Giordani’s repertory encompasses a wide and diverse range of roles, a list that spans the gamut from the Bel Canto heroes of Donizetti and Bellini to the more dramatic roles of Verdi and Puccini.
In demand by the world’s major opera houses and symphony orchestras, Giordani opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2006-07 season singing Pinkerton in the company’s new production of Madama Butterfly directed by Anthony Minghella. It was the first time in 20 years that the Met opened its season with a new production.
Joining the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in 2008, Ms. Rindzuner will cover the role of Nedda. Also in the 2008 season, Ms. Rindzuner will sing with the New York City Ballet in London, return to the Di Capo Theatre to sing her first Minnie in La Fanciulla del West, and return to Vero Beach for Desdemona in Otello and an aria concert with Marcello Giordani. The 2007 Ms.
Ben made his film debut as Papageno in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute with James Conlon conducting (Venice & Toronto Film Festivals; Movie Soundtrack). He was last seen on Broadway as Javert In Les Miserables. Other Broadway credits: Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie Marcello in Baz Luhrmann’s La boheme (Tony Honor; Cast Recording) and Enjolras in Les Miserables. Ben’s regional credits include File in 110 in the Shade (Pasadena Playhouse) and Patrick in Mame (Hollywood Bowl). Concert work includes engagements with the LA Philharmonic and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Film/TV: Miriam, Numb3rs. Ben Davis
Cheryl Studer’s startling and brilliant career began at a very early age. After studying voice during high school and college, her promising talent caught Leonard Bernstein’s attention; he gave her full scholarships to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, where she studied with Phyllis Curtin. She debuted at Tanglewood in 1976 in Bach’s _St.
Lyric tenor, Eric Margiore, is quickly becoming recognized for his unique Italianate timbre and the excitement that it brings to the stage, especially in the high lying Bel Canto and Lyric French repertory. Eric was most recently hailed by OPERA NEWS for his stunning debut in the role of Arturo in I Puritani with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis when he stepped in twice to replace an ailing tenor.
Baritone Ryan Taylor recently performed the role of Sharpless in Madame Butterfly and in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle in Fort Worth Opera’s Inaugural Festival Season, celebrating the company’s 60th Anniversary. He has previously sung Germont in La Traviata with the Bar Harbor Music Festival, Dandini in La Cenerentola with both Opera Carolina and Opera San Antonio, Marcello in La bohème with Jacksonville Symphony and Dayton Opera, and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Piedmont Opera and the Bar Harbor Music Festival. Additionally, he has performed Carmina Burana with the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, and Reno Philharmonic. For the Minnesota Opera, he has bowed as Ping in Turandot, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Silvio in I Pagliacci, and Sharpless in Madame Butterfly. Mr. Taylor originated the role of Voltore in the world premiere of John Musto’s opera Volpone for the Wolf Trap Opera Company. He has portrayed Taddeo in L’Italiana in Algeri, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Escamillo in Carmen, Harry Easter in Street Scene, and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.
William Andrew Stuckey is an operatic baritone whose performances have been acclaimed for their visceral power and beauty while his voice has been praised as a “strong, soaring baritone”. He is in demand.
This September Melissa Zapin sings the Countess in Le Nozze Di Figaro in Connecticut. She covered the role of Desdemona in Otello at the Vero Beach Opera Theatre this past March.
Willy Falk has appeared in operas and operatic concerts with The Lyrique-en-Mer Festival, The Hawaii Opera Theatre, The Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, The Di Capo Opera Theatre, The Shreveport Opera, The Augusta Opera, Opera New Hampshire, The Chatham Opera, The Colorado Symphony, The National Orchestra of Lyon, and The Opera at Florham.
Heralded by Opera News as “clearly a name to watch,” conductor Pacien Mazzagatti has already garnered considerable critical acclaim for his work conducting opera in New York City.
This season tenor Marcos Aguiar has sung Otello with the DuPage Opera Theater and with the Vero Beach Opera, and also appeared as Dick Johnson in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West with the Di Capo Opera Theater. He is scheduled to sing Canio in I Pagliacci with the Augusta Opera in May and Des Grieux in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut this summer with the Utah Opera Festival in Logan, Utah.